House and Garden 4 You

Nest Outdoor Security Camera Review

Nest Outdoor Security Camera

Keeping a view with the outside of your house makes a lot of sense – especially if there has been a lot of break-ins in your area. An obvious way to keep track of this issue is to set-up outdoor security cameras, but often the difficulty is that outdoor cameras have traditionally often been difficult to set up and configure, and therefore often have required professional assistance.

But with this Nest outdoor security camera it has changed this problem, thanks to uncomplicated installation, smart monitoring and a design that makes the camera actually look good when it is installed. Based on these features for home outdoor security cameras, the Nest outdoor security camera is now one of the most popular choices for an outdoor security camera and shows up frequently on many recommended lists.

In the past Nest became a home domestic name by introducing the Nest thermostat, but now the Google-owned company has a number of smart home devices that all works together to automate or protect your home.

The latest product is this Nest outdoor weatherproof security camera that complements with Nest’s existing indoor camera, and both cameras performance and specifications are similar, which is a good thing.

You can also just make a google search and look for the search term “Works with Nest” and you will find products that can integrate with the Nest products.

Nest outdoor security camera – Design and Build

Nest had a plan to build an outdoor security camera which was easy to install and had a great design. Although no security camera is ever going to be attractive, the Nest company has been doing a great job with the design of their Nest outdoor security camera. With its rounded back and flat front, the outdoor security camera looks more like a high-end spotlight rather than a traditional security camera.

The Nest outdoor security camera is tough too, rated at IP65. That means, that the camera is completely dust-proof and can resist low-pressure level of water jets. That is more than enough even for a heavy autumn rain storm.

One other very important thing is, that the Nest outdoor security camera is also very user-friendly to self-install for most people. Instead off having to hard-wire the camera into an electrical circuit, the Nest Cam Outdoor camera comes with a waterproof power supply made up of two parts. There is a junction box hard-wired to a three-pin plug, and the camera has a captive weatherproofed USB cable that connects to the junction box.

Nest outdoor security camera – Tech specs and features

The Nest Outdoor Security Camera is one of the highest-resolution cameras on the market.

Here are a few of its tech specs:

1080p video.

130-degree field of view.

8 x digital zoom.

IP65 weatherproofing.

Minimum 2 Mbps upload speed.

To get the Nest Security camera working, you have to use the supplied Nest app to connect it to your Wi-Fi network (802.11n, 2.4GHz only). Nest has one main app for all of its different devices, which is convenient, as you can use the same app for the Nest outdoor camera, the Nest indoor camera, and the Nest Thermostat.

It is really easy to get the outdoor camera online and connected with your Wi-Fi. You just use the live preview the Nest app offers to make sure that you are catching the right partsof your outdoor area.

Having a security camera is also very much about when it doesn’t record as when it does record, so you are sure to retain your privacy. For that reason, the Nest outdoor security camera can automatically turn off when you are home, and only turn on when the Nest mobile app detects that you are out of your home. The Nest app can track your entire household, because the Nest app supports multiple user accounts.

You can also schedule the camera to turn on and off. You can have the outdoor cameras scheduled to record from around when it gets dark, until next morning or whenever time suits you.

As with the Nest indoor camera, the outdoor camera version also has a microphone and speaker, so you are able to speak with anyone outside your home. It can be very helpful to be able to talk to couriers or for warning off a “could-be” thief. A great IFTTT channel lets you integrate the outdoor camera with other smart home devices – turning on lights when the camera detects movement, for example.

Nest outdoor security camera – Initial impressions

The Nest outdoor security camera gave me a very good impression right away when I packed out the camera of the box. The way Nest packs its screws and accessories to the camera was very fine, and in my opinion, very nice organized. It was easy to find all the parts, and the included manual supplied with a helpful list of what to expect from the package.

When you take the Nest outdoor security camera out of the package, it feels good. It is heavy and created of high-quality plastic, and the wires are thick and not highly flexible. There is a sense of toughness surrounding the Nest camera, and you have the feeling, that this Nest camera is completely weatherproofed.

As mentioned the Nest outdoor security camera in fact has an IP65 rating, which ensures protection from dust and low-pressure water jets (like garden tubes).

Nest outdoor security camera – Installation and setup

Installing the Nest outdoor security camera takes less than an hour from taking the camera out of the box to begin recording. If you have a metal surface outside your home, you can install the camera without using any kind of screws and alternatively use the cameras magnetic bottom to keep the camera in place.

If you want to install the camera to a wooden area, you need only two screws (the package includes multiple screws) to connect a magnetic plate for the mount. Once the mount is in place, the Nets outdoor security camera fits safely in it while even providing a nice space of room to adjust the position of the camera.

When the outdoor camera is up and installed, then the next step is to download the Nest app and create a Nest account. Account creation requires an email address and a password with at least eight characters using a mixture of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and symbols. It is important, that you make sure to allow the Nest system to send notifications to your mobile device, or else the app won’t be able to notify you when the Nest outdoor camera detects activity.

Next you enter your address and a name for the camera’s location. The app uses your address to auto-fill other information and also keep you informed about the weather and temperature at your home when you are away.

After you have named the location, look for the “Add” option in the app. Then allow the app to access your phone’s camera, and then scan the QR code found on the bottom of your Nest outdoor security camera. It will make a clear “beep” when it is connected, and now you should soon be able to see live stream from your Nest security outdoor camera.

Nest outdoor security camera – Video Quality

Even though the Nest outdoor security camera can record at 1080p, it is set up to record at 720p. You can manually enter the camera into the 1080p mode, but when you enter into the 1080p mode you will receive a warning, which tells you that in this mode the camera might get warm and that the camera will make use of more bandwidth.

In general, Nest advises that 720p video uses an average of 200Kbps with a max of 500Kbps for scenes with lots of activity, while 1080p uses an average of 450Kbps with a max of 1.2Mbps. That means between 60GB and 380GB of bandwidth per month, depending on the resolution and activity, so it could be a good idea to have unlimited broadband. My recommendation is to leave the Nest outdoor security camera setting in its 720p Auto setting, as 720p video footage is more than enough for a security camera.

The Nest outdoor security camera image quality is great. In daylight, the picture is sharp, and faces can clearly be viewed. Some details can be a bit blurred out in uniform areas, such as grass, but the important information is kept in a sharp and clear image quality.

At night when it gets dark, the Nest outdoor security camera switches to IR mode. It’s not tricked into switching modes by a torch being shone at it, either, so you know that the Nest Cam Outdoor will record reliably. The IR light is also working really good, with good and clear images.

Nest outdoor security camera – Features

The Nest outdoor security camera has two important settings: Home and Away. The Nest automatically streams video when it is in the Away mode, but turns off streaming when it is in the Home mode. However, you can still access the cameras feed at any time, and the camera automatically activates when it detects motion.

Another great feature is the intelligent alerts. With intelligent alerts, it allows the Nest outdoor security camera to differentiate between general motion and a person, and hereby you can be more specific when you want notifications, when the camera detects a motion.

The Nest can notify you in two separate ways when it detects activity – via your phone and with an email. Nest sends a 30-second recording showing what the security camera has detected (15 seconds before and 15 seconds after the action). If your zones is not set up properly you can risk to have too many notifications – also when someone is driving past your home or if your neighbors is parking beside your home.

To avoid this, it is important, that you set up your zones in a good way, so you don’t get a notification for every movement around your home.

The Nest has a number of features that makes it a great outdoor camera (in addition to the ultra-high resolution). The ability to zoom in a video is another great feature. If you want all the best features of the Nest outdoor security camera it requires a subscription plan to Nest Aware. When you buy the Nest outdoor security camera you automatically receive a 30-day trial with the Nest Aware subscription plan.

Nest outdoor security camera – Nest Aware Subscription plan

Without Nest Aware, the camera is capable of high-resolution streaming, but a lot of the Nest outdoor security cameras features will be missing. The features that make the Nest Outdoor security camera so useful comes together with the Aware subscription plan.

Here is what the Nest outdoor security camera can do without Nest Aware subscription plan:

High-resolution live streaming.

Two-way talk.

Motion notifications.

Without Nest Aware, you cannot set zones, save recordings to the cloud, or access more than 12 hours of video footage. The app reminds you of the subscription plan with a small, permanent bar at the bottom of the screen that says “Get more with Nest Aware.”

I have to say, that the Nest outdoor security camera efficiency is very much dependent on the Nest Aware subscription plan.

The Nest security camera records to Nest Aware for 24 hours a day, so you can always scroll back through your entire video footage. The Nest Aware service also enables several extra features, including more advanced motion detection, the option to create, save and download video clips, and the ability to manually set special zones for monitoring, called Activity Zones.

Without Nest Aware, you get basic motion alerts, photos of activity are saved for three hours, and you can watch the live stream. The Nest outdoor camera has without Nest Aware no online storage and no ability to save video to a different location, such as a NAS drive.

With Nest aware your cost will be the following:

10-day video history: $10 per month/$100 per year for the first camera, $5 per month/$50 per year per each additional camera.

30-day video history: $30 per month/$300 per year for the first camera, $15 per month/$150 per year per each additional camera.

As you can see from above if you opt in for multiple cameras, be prepared to pay even more, as each additional camera costs $5 per month for 10-day history or $10 per month for 30-day history – with the same annual discounts available as before.

Although Nest Aware is pretty expensive, then it is one of the best cloud systems on the market. Both the app and web system are smooth, easy to use, and clearly highlighting any detected events.

Motion processing is also working very well, with the camera ignoring swaying trees and only sending you notifications to you of “important” movements. Therefore, with the Nets Aware system you only get very few “false” notifications and not a constant flood of “not important” notifications.

Check out the video below to see the Nest Outdoor Security Camera system in action:

Conclusion about the Nest outdoor security camera review

Pros:

Excellent subscription service and app support.

Strong image quality (day and night).

Rugged and waterproof build.

Integration with IFTTT and other smart home products.

Cons:

Nest Aware subscription service is a bit expensive.

Functionality is limited without buying Nest Aware.

After evaluating the Nest Outdoor security camera strengths and weaknesses, I would absolutely recommend this Nest outdoor security camera to anyone.

In my opinion, the cost of the subscription is one of the more expensive subscription plans for home security cameras, but overall I think it is worth the benefits the Nest Aware subscription plan provides.

One main reason for this is, that if you have tried car or house break-ins, then the sense of safety that the security Nest outdoor security camera provides together with the Nets Aware subscription plan is something, that you can’t quite put a price on.

One thing I would have liked to see in the Nest Outdoor security camera is the ability to notify authorities with the press of a button. This feature is sometimes provided in full security systems.

Houseandgarden4you.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com